Harmony Unbound (part 2)
by Southern Rabbot
Summary: The continued reimagining of the events of Elements of Harmony in an AU where Luna takes Twilight's place as main character horse. I try to keep to the roots of humor along with some of the slice of life elements that got me into the show in the first place, but also I'd always wished they'd done more with Luna. I'm going to start working on part 3 soon, stick around.


What followed thereafter, was an otherwise fantastic day for Louise Moonshadow, the latest denizen of Ponyville. She gorged herself near to the point of sickness upon fried foods. Then, impressive aerial displays put on by pegasi in blue uniforms wowed her. Now she understood why Rainbow enjoyed them so. And all the while, she found herself surrounded by newfound friends.

These five had even managed to convince Louise to approach the band and make a vague attempt at dancing. Sore and uncertain legs wobbled underneath her, but there was always one of the girls at her side to keep her going. It was, she had to admit, actually fun. Though, exhausting.

However, all of this, she found herself remembering, was happening to a pony she was not. Or rather, now was? Yet although this thought bubbled up once more, here and there, her new friends whisked her away from it time and again. Little did they know.

As the music wound down, around time for the band's break, Pinkie Pie decided it was time for fun.

"Wait," Rainbow implored, "hold on, hold up. What are you talking about?"

"Fun," she said simply.

"Right?"

"Having it."

"We… aren't already?"

"Already what?"

Rainbow rolled her eyes, but Pinkie just blinked at her.

"Having fun! We're already having fun."

A chuckle or two heard over her shoulder only flustered Dash all the more.

"Oh right, we are! But I meant," she trailed off, grabbing onto Louise and pulling her up and out of her chair. Pinkie continued, dragging one very confused, but too-tired-to-fight-back unicorn along: "Fun games!" And off they went.

Rainbow Dash turned in silence, to her pegasus pal, Fluttershy, with a grimace. Here, she hoped to find some sympathy for her plight, some understanding for her struggle, some comfort for her frustration. What she received instead was a timid smile.

"I like games," Fluttershy softly told Rainbow.

"Yeah," Rainbow sighed, defeated. "Me too. Let's go."

Before she went to catch up, Rainbow remembered the other two fillies, still resting on a bench nearby after dancing too much.

"AJ, Rare," she called out, "you gals want in on games?"

The two glanced at each other, then back to Dash.

"You girls go on ahead, dear," Rarity batted her eyelashes.

"We'll catch up with ya later," Applejack assured.

"Suit yourselves," said Rainbow, dashing off to regroup with Louise and Fluttershy.

When the cloud of dust had settled, Louise found herself in front of an odd machine, and one very eager Pinkie Pie. It had a sloped lane of polished wood, with a sudden incline at the end. And past the ramshackle ramp was a back end lined with various sized hoops of steel, complete with holes.

Though, in truth, to an outsider, the holes actually made it seem incomplete.

Pinkie was nonetheless excited.

"Well at least you're excited."

"I am," Pinkie admitted.

She was.

"You said we were going to play games?"

"Uh huh!"

"Step right up, ladies," called the mare in charge of this booth. She tipped a straw boater's hat to them and waved a hoof over a few odd stacks of smooth balls, about the size of an orange each. "One bit, three balls. Three chances to win!"

"Win?"

"Win," Pinkie shouted, excitedly.

About this time, Rainbow and Fluttershy caught up.

"You win?" Rainbow gave Louise a pat on the shoulder.

"Not yet," assured Pinkie, "but she's going to."

"Win what, what am I winning?"

Louise felt anxious, the pressures to perform now weighing down upon her. It was like Luna's first moon rising, so, so very long ago.

 _No,_ she told herself, _Luna did those things, and I am Louise. Louise Moonshadow._

Louise wiped a bead of sweat from her brow, the game not having even started.

"You okay, Lou?" Rainbow Dash noticed.

"We're here," Fluttershy shushed, "your friends are here."

"Tell you what, stranger," the game host announced with a pleasant little smile, "first one's on the house."

A single ball was bestowed upon Louise. They were a good deal heavier than they looked, given their size. She surmised it must be some stone or other, worked into a perfect sphere with an immaculately smooth surface.

"Simply roll the ball along the track and up the ramp, aiming for the rings. Sink the smallest ring at the top, and win the grand prize!"

Beside her table for rolling was a small booth full and covered with increasingly large dolls resembling cute and colorful variations of different animals. The one she called grand, however, hung with care with the largest of its compatriots, was a massive sheep. It was bigger than her head, pink with black, and incredibly soft looking. It beamed down upon her with carefully stitched eyes of shimmering blue thread.

Simply put, it was adorable.

Louise braced herself, and hurled the ball along its path. It whirled over the lacquered wood, and flew up and over the ramp. There was a palpable thud as it collided with the backboard, touching not a single hoop.

She drooped, dejected.

"Here," came a grin, followed by a Rainbow, "lemme show ya how."

Rainbow Dash deftly set one coin upon the counter, and gathered three balls. In one cocksure gesture, she threw each one with next to no delay between shots. They moved so fast, one might think they'd catch fire.

Thunk-clunk-ting!

The closest she'd gotten was the top lip of the middle ring. A snicker came from the side lines, and her cheeks went pink.

"That was just a warm up!"

"It's okay, Rainbow," Fluttershy assured.

"It was, though."

She set another coin down and tried again. This time around she actually aimed, rolling just one at a time. The first two collided with the highest rung, to no avail. And the final ball, well it sailed in at a bad angle, clipping the inside and bouncing out.

Teeth clenched, Dash coughed up one more bit. And after a mere nine attempts, she finally sunk one perfect. With one triumphant "Yes!" she lept high into the air with one solid flap of her wings. And once back down from cloud nine, it was time to claim her prize.

Louise looked on with held breath as her pointing hoof scanned over the very one she coveted. She sighed though, as the hovering hoof passed it by in favor of a little green dragon. This was passed to Rainbow, then to Fluttershy, who could only gasp.

"A baby dragon! Aw, I always wanted to see a baby dragon."

Somewhere in this, while the chaos subsided, Pinkie found Louise's gaze. She gave her a knowing look.

"You want the little lamby, don't you?" Pinkie leaned in, quirking her brows.

"I haven't any money."

"I'll win it for you," Pinkie said with a wink.

"Really?" Her eyes lit up "I would cherish it always."

"What are friends for?" She placed a coin on the counter.

Five coins later, Pinkie wiped the sweat from her brow, took a breath, and reached out for the fifteenth ball. At her shoulder tugged Louise, her frown quivering.

"This is too much, Pinkie." She pleaded. "I can't stand to see all that money spent on me, it's simply too much."

"But that was my last bit for playing games. This has to be it. I want to win you that little lamby lamb so you'll have it to remember this day always and think back on it and laugh at all the good memories everytime you see it and…"

She had to take another breath, but Louise didn't let her continue.

"That's very sweet, and I appreciate you. But I don't need a memento to cherish my memories of today." She gestured over at their pegasi friends, both currently unsure if they should intervene. "You girls have already done plenty that I'll remember until I'm old and gray."

"There's already a silver streak," Rainbow pointed out.

"There'll be more gray," Louise retorted with a snort.

"How old are you, anyway?"

"Hey," Pinkie absentmindedly interrupted, much to Dash's chagrin, "you're right, Louise. I don't need to get you some cute little stuffed animal to prove my part in making this your best first day in Ponyville ever." And with that, she began to wander off with her friends, head held high.

"Um," called out the game runner, "can I get that last ball back?"

"Oh," giggled Pinkie, looking down to realize she was still holding it. "Right."

When she tossed it over her shoulder without another care or thought in the world, the mare in charge of this game lept out to catch it. With herself outstretched, it bounced from one hoof, then the other. She tried another swipe at it, which sent it sailing even higher over her own shoulder with a click. It hit the zenith of the wooden ramp with a clack. And amazingly, despite any odds and even some logic, it bounced once more at the perfect angle, hitting the lid of the grand prize ring, rolled around its circumference, and fell through with a thunk.

The four girls had been well on their way, but the howling laughter pulled their heads back around. There, in the dust, lay the mare on her side, scooping up her hat and what was left of her composure. Pinkie rushed over.

"Ah, oh my gosh, oh my gosh, I'm so sorry! I didn't hit you, did I?"

"No, no. You just accidentally made the shot of the century."

"Oh, well, thank you." She let her back onto the ground, and started to leave again. Then she thought about it. "Wait, I did?"

"My boss would probably get so mad, because technically there was interference. But it was too good not to count." She picked up and rushed over to the prize booth. "C'mon, c'mon. Pick your prize before he makes his rounds."

Pinkie Pie beamed brighter than Louise had seen so far. She was also too tired to question how this came to be. It also helps that the adorable lamb that caught her eye was now hers. So instead, she graciously accepted this most wonderful gift.

Louise's cheeks encroached upon her eyes which glittered like bright red stars in the night sky. She softly placed a tiny kiss upon Pinkie's forehead from on high, who could only stutter out a "Shucks."

"And that's when I scoffed. 'Tch, I'm better off not aiming at all.' Then I threw it over my shoulder, cool as a cucumber. Whoosh, through the air, and ker-plunk. I got it right in, without even trying."

Pinkie Pie took a bow before her bemused crowd of friends. Rainbow snickered.

"Pinkie, you got it by accident."

"Well, yeah, I was gonna tell them that, duh." Pinkie gave Dash a playful jab on the shoulder. "But, well, you know. It was a very cool accident."

"Anyway," Rainbow announced with a playful roll of the eyes, "we're gonna go hit up more games. AJ, Rares. Come get in on this." She beckoned them on.

Rarity smoothly strode on up beside Louise, flicking at her roughspun.

"I think it's about time I did something about this cloak of yours, Louise."

"And to be honest," Applejack admitted, "iffin' I tagged along, things'd just turn into a contest between you and me, Dash. You know. Like it always does."

"I honestly have no idea what you're talking about," Rainbow told her. Facetiously. "Sounds to me like you just don't want me to whoop ya like last time."

"Rainbow, we each won half the contests that day." AJ smirked, though incredulously.

"Tch, but I won the last contest of the day." Rainbow smiled, rather mischievously. If one didn't know better, they might assume she aimed to rile Applejack up. And if one did know better, they'd see that was, in fact, exactly what she was doing.

Here, Rarity took hold of AJ's shoulder. All it took was one whisper about composure, and Applejack maintained hers.

"Nice try, Dash. Besides," AJ chuckled, "I wanted to get to know our new friend."

She gave Louise a sardonic, almost knowing look that shook her to her very core. But the shade from the now waning sun cast by her hat hid that darkened face from most of the others. Here and now, Louise sensed what felt like a spark of tension between them. In her heart, she felt that distrust. Her hoof picked up and set down a little further away. Then another. Every impulse shouted at her to flee.

 _She knows,_ shouted the little voice in her head, _she knows and she's going to oust us and we'll be banished anew! Flee thou ungraceful fool of a mare, lest ye be stricken down once more…_ But Luna's legs wouldn't take Louise away.

Pinkie almost toppled Louise over with a borderline aggressive hug.

"I'm gonna keep playing but I'm gonna miss you new best friend!"

"Aw, Pinkie. I'll… I'll miss you too. Most certainly." Louise hoisted Pinkie and squeezed her tight, sharing with her a good laugh as they spun around a couple times, just because.

 _I shan't flee when I know such love and warmth from on high via an amazingly good friend, like that which I've ne'er known._

With fond farewells past and gone, Rarity and Applejack escorted Louise along.

"Not to pry," Rarity assured very sweetly, "but I'm most curious about your accent, dear." With a spark from her horn, the key turned in its aura.

"Same here," Applejack concurred as Rarity ushered them in.

"Oh, well, I'm from Canterlot. I spent a good deal of time there."

Rarity wandered off to get the lights, while AJ found a rather dramatic looking sofa nearby to lounge upon.

"What'd you get up to there?" Applejack hung her hat and sprawled across the velvet very comfortably with a sigh.

Somewhere in the back, Rarity threw a switch, and the studio lights came on with a flash. Louise blinked several times, then a good few more for extra measure. When her vision settled, she remained blinded by the slew of pink and purple that made up a spick and span interior. At the focal point of the vaulted ceiling stood a singular platform by many a mirror and curtain.

"A-astronomy." She set the pink lamb down, and it almost disappeared into the background.

"I just need to fetch a few supplies from upstairs, be back in a flash." Rarity hurried along past them and up she went, leaving the two of them. Alone.

"Astronomy, huh?" AJ quirked one brow.

"I erm, focused on the moon. Lunar studies, you know."

"Hence the cutie mark, I take it."

"Yes, precisely." She'd almost forgotten about that.

Applejack waited for that purple tail of Rarity's to swish past the walling and asked rather pointedly: "So what was that before about having some kinda issue with royalty?"

"Oh." Louise turned with a gulp.

"Hey now girl, no pressure. You don't have to talk about it if it's too painful. Though, hoo boy, I bet it's a wild story."

"Heh, to be sure." Louise nervously feigned a laugh over her shoulder. Her smile didn't last long. "Listen, Applejack, I've fallen fast in love with all of you girls, really I have."

"But?"

"But I'm not ready to share that tale. It's much too… personal. And bordering on traumatic."

Applejack pondered her for a little while, a nonplussed look upon her face.

"Hmm," she grunted, "I ain't judgin' ya, Louise. Though I've half a mind that you might be hidin' something from me, and I am hardly ever wrong on my hunches." Applejack stretched out on the couch. "But I ain't about to pressure ya none. So don't sweat it. You can tell me if, and/or when you are plum good and ready, hear?"

"Crystal clear. Thanks, for, well, you know, understanding, AJ." Louise chafed one ankle against the other, but Rarity was coming back now.

Wind whipping at her blouse, Rarity rushed to the ground floor in a tizzy. Close behind she floated a box along, which upon landing, she promptly set down near a mirror and lights.

"Louise, come, come. I was stricken with inspiration and I simply must capitalize."

Louise ambled over to meet her.

"Well hey now, what happened to a simple cloak?" Applejack rolled over to see with a chuckle.

"Aw hush you. It's still going to be relatively simple. Any further commentary from the peanut gallery and I'll have to ask you to leave my humble boutique, post haste." Rarity turned up her nose. "Oh you can set that old thing anywhere, by the way, Louise, dearest. Yes come along now, maybe somebody here will appreciate me." She stared ice cold daggers at AJ.

"Ha ha, aw you know I'm just funnin' with ya, Rare."

Louise had removed her burlap amidst their banter, though clung to it like a child and their blanket.

"You're absolutely certain about this, Rarity?"

"My goodness, Louise, yes, it's fine. I promise." She took the makeshift cape and set it gently upon the counter. "And if you're unsatisfied with the results, I will personally guarantee a refund of your original article of anonymity." Rarity gave her a wink. "Fair?"

"More than fair," Louise told her softly, head drooping.

Rarity lifted her chin, and their eyes met. Louise felt a closeness for a moment, before realizing she was fetching a tape measure to stretch underneath her. From there, she got everything she needed to get started.

"I was inspired by your cutie mark, which I caught a look at earlier when we were all dancing about. Do hope I'm not coming off as too fresh, by the way."

"Oh, no, you're fine." _Please don't feel wings, please don't feel wings._ A cold sweat ran down Louise's brow.

"The imagery of a dark and broody night, darkened further still by oppressive cloud cover, it's very moody." Rarity set aside the tape, noticing neither wing nor bead of sweat in her vigor, pulling not one, but two tall bolts of cloth from her supplies. "Now don't give me that look, it's not like woolen cloth is hard to come by."

 _Dyed fabric isn't hard to come by?_

"But I'd thought, a top layer of this one," she said, presenting the darker of the two grays, "like a storm cloud. But the interior will be this one." It was very nearly white, seeming only dimmer compared to her alabaster coat. "With a subtle fold-over to create a trim."

Louise simply blinked at her.

"Well don't you see? The theme is silver linings to even the darkest clouds. Plus it'll bring out the silver streak in your hair beautifully, I should think."

"Oh, oh! I see now. Wow, Rarity, that's rather clever."

"Oh posh." Rarity covered her assured smile. "Thank you, darling."

Applejack awoke from a snooze, a couple hours later. The sun was sinking outside, light fading to orange as it peered in through the windows. When she looked over, Rarity was just finishing up, cleaning up a few seams here and there.

"Wow, Rare, that's some good work as usual. Sorry I kinda dozed off on ya."

"Oh it's quite alright, AJ. I know this isn't the most interesting thing in the world to you. I certainly wouldn't have minded having you on hoof and lucid for a little feedback, but Louise here has been splendid about that."

"Thank you, but I'm no expert."

"Mayhaps not, but I can tell you've posed to have clothing made for you before. You grow more mysterious by the hour, darling. What ever _could_ you be hiding from us your friends, dear?" Rarity feigned a pained expression, hobbling over like she might collapse. This got a laugh out of AJ in the corner.

"D'aw leave her be, hon," Applejack dismissed with a wave. "She can share with us when she's ready. Ain't that right, Louise?" She winked.

"R-right."

"Hmph, sorry if I seemed like I was pressuring you darling. Such things can wait. For now, I want to finish this off right. But somehow I'm struggling to think of the right little something to add."

Louise turned about, lifting one corner, then the other. She lifted the hood and told Rarity it seemed more than fine to her.

"Well it's done, yes, but it could use a signature finishing touch. But, ah, hold on that's it. Your eyes, they practically glow through the shade of the hood. What bold contrast, crimson in the dark, yes, I think I have just the thing."

Louise sighed, looking on as Rarity went rummaging around in several drawers, tossing aside spools, needles, and the odd bits and ends; a little glitter here, shiny ribbon there.

"You needn't go to such trouble for me."

"Meaning you no, offense, Louise my dear, but at this point, this is just as much for me as it is you. What I have in mind will make this perfect in my eyes, so I simply must… oh goodness, where is it?" She tapped at her chin a moment, before a flash of inspiration struck. Rushing over to a highly specific drawer, she practically flung it open.

Louise was presented with a crimson chord.

"Something to bring out those eyes," Rarity told her, panting just a little bit. "Here, here, allow me."

It was thick as rope, but soft to the touch. Rarity tied a solid, immovable sort of knot on either end. Then she lifted the hood on Louise, and wrapped it tenderly around. Here she made a looser knot, giving her neck more than enough room to breathe. For good measure, though, she brought the hood down and ran a brush through her hair. Content, she spun Louise around for the mirror.

Louise gaped at herself for the first time. It did match her new image near perfectly. As she drew up the hood, the shade covered her eyes, and the chord created a bold underline to frame her sharp face.

"P-pretty," she stammered at herself, before turning. "Rarity, this is marvelous."

"Darling please, do go on."

"She means that, too," chimed in Applejack with a smirk.

"And you're really, very certain this elegant cloak is mine? I, well, can't I repay you somehow, in any way at all?"

"My goodness," Rarity relented, "if you're so concerned with compensating me, your lovely, dearest friend, Rarity, think of it this way. In working on this, I've gained inspiration!" Her eyes practically saw stars, glinting in the afternoon sun as she whirled around.

"You have?" Louise exchanged a rather uninformed shrug with Applejack from the couch.

"I could extend the theme of this cloak, silver linings and clouds and what have you now, to an entire line! And just like this easy little chord," she went on, pawing at it like a kitten, "I could accentuate each piece with a different color. Like a rainbow after the rain, further driving home the theme of positivity after negativity."

"A whole series of outfits to invoke the feeling of the rain passing, and light shining anew. Oh, I think I really like that idea, Rarity." Louise gave her a confident nod, taking the hood back down again.

"And I've you to thank for it, dear. I'm so very glad we're newfound friends. Listen here now," she insisted, taking her hoof and walking her over to the main counter, "I know you're new in town. So please, do me the pleasure, here let me fetch my schedule," Rarity rambled, brushing papers off a large book.

"Schedule?"

"So I can let you know what days I'll be in town and free. We simply must do tea or brunch, you and I. Oh, and Applejack, why don't you join us?"

Applejack rolled off the red velvet, smoothed down her main where she'd dozed, and regathered her hat. Out of respect for Rarity, of course, she didn't wear it in the boutique. Hat etiquette and all that, apparently.

"Sure," AJ shrugged, "yeah, that sounds nice."

"Aw heck," sighed Rarity, "why don't we invite the others, see how many of us all we can get together. We can even make it a lunch in place of brunch, so Rainbow can show up on time."

The three of them shared a little laugh at that one.

"So," Rarity continued, "I'll just need to know where you're staying, Louise, and I can come hash out some plans with you."

Realization struck Louise like a tumbling castle wall of stone and mortar.

"Oh…"

Rarity and Applejack caught each other out of the corners of their eyes.

"Somethin' wrong there, sugarcube?"

"Ah, I'm sorry to worry you, Applejack, and you, Rarity." Louise rubbed at the back of her neck. "It's just, well, this is my first day here, and I haven't anywhere to stay."

"Why, that's hardly an issue," chirped Rarity. "Even with the holiday, there ought to be a room free in a nearby inn. I could even help you look, since we're all through here."

Louise chewed on her lower lip for a moment, and the pair grew worried all over again.

"But you don't have two bits to rub together, huh?" Applejack leaned in, prodding for a verbal answer, and got none.

Louise hung her head and let it sway side to side. This wouldn't do.

"There's lots of space here in the boutique," suggested Rarity.

"You've already done so much for me." Louise wouldn't hear it.

"Nonsense, it wouldn't be any bother at all!"

"I just couldn't."

"Th-there's even a spare room upstairs. Except, oh wait, I cleared it out for Sweetie Belle earlier… Oh, she's my little sister, you see. But, well, hmm."

"Well shoot," Applejack cut in, "what about stayin' with my family over at Sweet Apple Acres? Everypony else'll be gone by now, so you won't get to meet the extended family. But there's still-"

"Please, stop it, I just…" Louise felt the nice fabric of her new cloak once more. "You girls have already done so much. Too much. I can't feed off your kindness like this." Her head drooped again. But then her ear perked. It was a laugh.

"Applejack…" Rarity nudged at her with big sad eyes, turning to Louise's raising head with a nervous smile.

"Now uh," she started, unflinching, "see, that's where you're wrong, Louise. I ain't done jack for ya, so this is my first favor." AJ leaned in with a flash of that toothy, confident grin. "And iffin' you're worried about payin' it back some, you're more than welcome to sweat it out in the fields and orchards, hear?"

"This I swear," Louise pronounced again, "I shall fill a dozen baskets to the brim with apples. Then I shall… w-what was that term for corn again?"

"Shuckin' it?"

"Yes, shucking. I shall shuck corn until the sun sets anew."

"Ha, that's mighty fine, Louise." Applejack traded a laugh with her brother as she spread fresh linens across the mattress. "But as Rarity might say, 'Why darling, to shuck the corn is nary the same as to pick said corn.' Hey thanks again for movin' those old boxes back out, Mac."

"Yup." Big Mac nodded. "Ma'am." He bowed his head to Louise, and left them to the spare room, disappearing down the hall.

"Stallion of few words, I see."

"That he is. Anyway," AJ continued, clicking the dust from her hooves, "there'll be plenty of time tomorrow to talk about what needs doin' round the farm. For now, get comfortable. Dinner's on in about 30 minutes. And hey." She stopped at the door frame, peering back. "You stay as long as you need, you hear me? We'll treat you like family, and help you stand back up on your own four legs." She turned back around, yet hesitated, lingering a moment for no reason in particular. "I mean that, now."

All other impulse and instinct left Louise behind. Whatever uncertainty or animosity she felt before, she shoved aside as she threw herself around one very surprised workhorse.

"Thank you," Louise told her, the words slow, dark, and sweet, like molasses. "Thank you so very much, Applejack."

"Shucks…" AJ beamed, despite herself. "Ain't nothin' for a friend." She pat Louise on the shoulder and broke free to take her leave.

Louise, finally alone, set up her lamb doll, stowed her new cloak, and at long last felt something resembling comfort. Enshrouding herself in the sheets of this freshly made bed, she thought, perhaps, she might somehow doze a small while. But rest did not come for the weary and uncertain. Nevertheless, warmth embraced her; she found herself smiling a little smile, so taken aback by the kindness and love she'd been shown this day.

Somewhere at the back of her head, Luna cried out that this was what she had wanted all that time ago, all along. A single tear formed at the corner of her eye, but she held together. Deep beyond the gaze of her mind's eye, Louise pushed Luna away.

In short time, the bell called for dinner. At the table, she met AJ's little sister, Applebloom, who had what seemed like a thousand questions about astronomy. She said she'd possibly considered perhaps getting into astronomy, maybe. Louise gave her a little laugh and tousled that reddish-violet hair, being sure to mind her adorable pink bow.

"It seems you haven't found your talent, so it could yet lie amongst the stars beyond the cloudy night skies." Louise billowed one hoof while sparking a flourish of lights with her horn.

"Wowzers!" Applebloom's little ombré eyes lit up at the illusion. As it faded, though, they darkened again. "But what if it doesn't? I mean, I dunno, sometimes I'm scared I ain't never gonna be good at nothin' at all."

"Aw, Applebloom." AJ aimed to step in, but the family matron called for help in the kitchen. Her worry settled somewhat when Louise gave her an assuring nod. Off she went, hoping her sister had been left in good company.

"Little 'Bloom, do you fear the unknown?"

"Hmm, I guess there is something scary 'bout not knowing where you're gonna like, end up? Ya know?"

 _More than you could ever imagine,_ she thought, conjuring up a miniature night sky, speckled with twinkling little stars.

"True," she said, swirling the tiny stars around, "there is fear in uncertainty, to be sure. Never knowing what next obstacle lurks around the nearest shadow drenched corner."

"This a speech you memorized?" Applebloom tilted her head.

"Hush… Ahem, for there is, er, well, oh, a silver lining to every cloud, yes." Louise made a note to thank Rarity for the inspiration later. "And if you keep going, you'll find the light in that darkness." Here, a bright, full moon filled the minor illusion. "But _only_ if you keep going, that is."

Applebloom pursed her lips, staring after the disappearing vision that had been conjured before her. She thought and perplexed and pondered. After a solid second, she finally nodded.

"I think I totally and fully understand exactly what you mean, miss Louise," she said with confidence, and a smile, gaining back one in kind.

She did not, actually, understand to that extent. But somewhere in that head of hers, the basic concept stuck a landing.

"Then I'm sure you'll get your cutie mark one day very soon, little one." Louise beamed with pride as dinner was served.

The meal went on. A blur of flavors, small talk, and flickering lantern light battling against the dimming skies washed passed Louise's senses. Granny Smith was pleasantly amicable, and Louise practically had to hold herself back from throwing herself at her feet in prostration. Nevertheless, she managed to thank her and all the rest of the Apple family probably a collective half-dozen times by the time they offered dessert.

For the food.

For the bed.

For the roof.

For the chance to finally reclaim her life; to stand on all four hooves, grab ahold of her doomed destiny, and put the crumbling ruins back together again.

Applebloom remarked she was a little melodramatic, so Applejack snapped at her with a warning about rudeness. And though flushed, Louise told her she was impressed at the vocabulary of one so young. Then Applebloom's face met a happy medium of lighting up with pride, and the darkening sorrow for her lack of tact.

All else considered, Louise made a pretty okay first impression. An hour or so was whiled away in the common area, with even more various questions and answers about astronomy. Luna pat herself on the back for picking a good fib.

Skies of blackish blues were met with yawns. Granny Smith decided it was time the Apple family turned in for the evening. Louise didn't notice at first, her gaze fixed upon the nearly full moon. For a moment, the room was empty. It was just her and the glowing circle in the night sky. That's when she felt a touch on her shoulder.

"You can stay up a little longer," Applejack reassured her as their eyes met.

 _She looks so different without the hat._

"Most folk don't wake up as early as we do, so it might take a li'l getting used to."

"I understand," Louise said flatly.

"I won't hold it against ya none if you're late on your first day." AJ tried to get a smile, laughing a little nervously at the extremely plain look she was on the receiving end of.

"No, I think I'll sleep. In truth, I've been restless a long time."

Applejack lingered a moment longer as the tall unicorn she was suddenly very aware she'd invited into her home got up and walked away. Knowing very little about her, she followed her previous gaze, hoping to learn even a bit.

It was the moon. Big deal. Her being an astronomer, staring at heavenly bodies only made sense. What didn't though was the odd feeling that something was off about it. Something Applejack couldn't quite pin down. Maybe it was the craters? They did seem a little different. But didn't they always as the moon rotated?

Eventually, Applejack gave up her quest and retired for the evening like the rest.

Heavenly slumber took its sweet time for Louise, all alone in a stranger's bed in a house that were both simply quaint compared to the daunting halls and satin sheets of Luna's youth. Even as minutes in the dark turned into an hour, Luna… no, no, Louise tossed and turned. It was Louise whose eyes grew weary as she failed to pass out. That's right.

Even as those heavy eyelids finally sealed away the reddening curse of bloodshot, a painfully familiar voice wrenched them right back open. It was a voice-

"That voice."

A voice she knew so well it ached her to her core. Luna's stomach tied in knots and her mouth grew dry. She dared not raise her head from this pillow.

Not that she needed to. The entity cast its shadow over her, across the room, and upon the wall opposite her. In that way, their faces met once again, and the voice spoke up, more lucid now.

"Lying to everyone again? When will you learn?"

A chill ran down Luna's spine. Her voice…

"Your voice. No."

"My voice?" The shadowy head tilted to one side, and the billowing mass of airy hair floated along. "You mean _our_ voice."

It was true. Luna knew it was true, but she didn't want to accept it. She squeezed her head under the pillow, but still its visage would not dissipate.

"I'm not you," she cried. "I'm nothing like you."

Here, the figure stepped forward, Luna wincing as it did. She could feel the hot breath billow across the back of her neck. She shuddered.

"Give it a rest. We are one and the same. Come now, it's time to make them suffer for how they've hurt us."

"No. I won't." Luna tried to close her eyes. They wouldn't, she couldn't, she didn't understand. She flinched again as the figure grew in both size and anger as it loomed further over her.

"Do you not still feel the _pain?_ Oh, you weak little girl!" It quickly swept claws of that same shadowy energy Luna knew too well across her back.

Luna yelped, her back arching as a hot sting dulled to a feeling both warm and wet as her blood soaked into the torn sheets. It finally drew her attention with welling tears and grit teeth. The figure? It was her. A darker, even more haughty and smug, monstrous version of Luna glowered over her. This was the persona she had dawned so long ago: Nightmare Moon.

"The only pain I still bear in my breast is the anguish of regret. And my hate for them? All of them?" She snarled, spitting in Moon's face. "I now feel for you!"

Moon grimaced, wiping the gob from her black-as-night snout and the nasal guard of her blue-steel helm. A similar blueness in those eyes pierced Luna where she lay, narrowing to a shrewd glare.

Luna thought back, very briefly, bemused to her early observation about Rarity and looks that could kill. Her attention came back quickly enough though; she turned her head as Moon's horn pierced harder than her gaze, sending pillow feathers into the air.

Rusty hind legs tucked in quick as they could while Moon was stuck, and shoved. Moon went sailing across the room, all wind gone from her, into the wall, denting in the wooden panels with a splintering crunch. Seizing the opportunity, Luna propped up and let fly a volley of magic missiles from her horn.

Like a cat, Moon lept to a low dive, letting the several bolts of light arc right over her as she pivoted around on her front hooves. One after the other, her rear hooves heavily cracked across Luna's chin and jaw, sending her spit flying involuntarily this time.

Luna dizzily fell over the edge of the bed, slamming to the floor. It was already over when the ribboned bedsheets fluttered over her. Her nightmare blocked her dazed view of the ceiling. Everything grew dark, dark, and darker still.

"You're coming with me. We'll be whole again. It's what we deserve. It's what we _want."_

"No," she begged, sputtering meekly, "please no. I'm not you. I'm nothing like you!"

There came a light pouring in from the opening door.

"What in tarnation is going on in here?"

"Applejack stay back, she's dangerous!"

AJ stared at this heaving unicorn on her floor, long and hard, her brow furrowed. She wasn't quite sure what to say to that, setting the oil lamp on a hook nearby.

"Louise? Who's dangerous? There's nopony here, 'sides you and me, girl."

She was right. The room was empty and still, save for the two of them. A deathly silence washed over them as Luna took in the utter lack of damages done to pillows, sheets, walls, and least of all, her back or face.

Louise's pupils shrank from newfound light, and she started hyperventilating as her eyes darted all around the room, looking for her, any sign at all. She was here, she knew it. The only reality that seemed consistent was the blurring at the corners of her eyes as she sniffled. But Nightmare couldn't have been a common nightmare.

"I'd just heard you crying out in your sleep? Somethin' about not being somepony else? Then a thud and, and… Louise?"

Louise brushed cold sweat from her brow with a gulp, standing up to amble around the room. She shakily started knocking over furniture to search the shadows for any visitors who might be hiding in them. After the third chair and before completely turning the entire bed over, AJ pulled on her, nearly shouting after her. Louise's wobbling knees gave out and she collapsed into her grasp.

That's when it all came out.

"I'm so sorry, for this, for everything." She hugged Applejack tightly as she could, openly sobbing on her shoulder.

"Whoa, ok now, there, there?" AJ pat the convulsing unicorn for posterity, though she felt no less confused than she did a moment ago. "It's alright. Promise." Her shoulder continued getting soaked. "It… was just a couple chairs."

"N-not just the chairs. I'm sorry for the trouble. The ponies I hu-u-urt. Moon and stars aboooove, I'm s-s-sorry, bahhhhhhh." She hiccupped for air. "I, guh, I only wanted to f-feel as loved as _her!_ Is that s-s-so wrong? I'm sorry f-for wanting love, for feeling hate, for becoming…"

Frayed wings splayed out before Applejack, an almost navy cerulean hue to the feathers that tickled her hugging hooves. Her eyes went wide as she realized she was not hugging Louise anymore, but somepony entirely new. The stranger shuddered in her hold, taking a deep breath, trying to calm down.

"Louise?"

"Most of all, to you specifically…" As she pulled away, tears still streamed from her teal eyes, and glowing wisps of mane like the night sky wafted behind her. "I'm sorry. To you, and all my new friends. Because that's not my name."

By the light of an oil lamp and a few candles, Applejack scrunched up her face in the pits of her hooves propped up by the table.

"I can't believe we fed royalty commoner food," she muffled, pouting.

"AJ that's not really-"

"And I can't believe we gave you peasant accommodations." Applejack covered her eyes.

"That's not the point." Luna blew on the hot tea. "Ah, besides, listen to you. 'Accommodations,' you and Applebloom both, you're pretty eloquent, honest." She took a sip. "Hardly the bumpkin peasant you suddenly think you are, now that you know."

"I bought a thesaurus to impress Rarity."

"Snrk, really?"

Applejack slumped further from her, grumpily turning the other way.

"Aw, no, no. I think it's… sweet, that you want to better yourself for your friend." She watched Applejack rub her temples.

"A dang ol' storybook for foals come to life just gal palled me, unbelievable."

"I'm… what does that phrase mean? What? Why are you laughing so wryly?"

"Hoo boy, Celestia give me strength." AJ pushed herself from the table. "Ok. Luna?"

"Yes, AJ?"

"I appreciate your honesty." Applejack observed a smile which faded as she continued. "Even if I'm mighty disheartened it only came about on account of a traumatic nightmare breaking your will."

"Ok. That's fair. Yes." She couldn't make eye contact, going for the cup of tea again to distract herself. The tea was sweeter than this scolding.

"All's forgiven, though." Surprisingly, to both of them, really, Applejack went over and hugged her again. "C'mere, ya big royal lug. I trust ya didn't mean nothin' by it."

"R-right," Luna admitted. "I was scared everypony would only know me as the monster I became back then. I couldn't face them. I…" She brushed her eye, lest she shed more tears. "I couldn't face myself, and the awful things I'd done." Despite her best efforts, a single tear rolled down her cheek and ran off, dripping into tea. She pushed the mug away.

"Alright," AJ announced, clicking her hooves together, "that's enough moping and dwelling on the past for one night. C'mon, your majesty. Let's go get some sleep."

Luna protested that she not call her that, asking if she saw a crown. But she came along all the same. A big first day of work lay ahead of her, after all.

"First thing in the morning, we're headin' on into town, and we're gonna have a li'l chat with all our friends."

Luna stopped following.

"AJ, no, I can't."

"Whaddya mean you can't?" Applejack lightly stamped the first or second step at the base of the stairs she aimed to climb.

"I'm not ready, Applejack. I'm not ready to face them." Luna brushed her shins together. "You know, as my true self. B-besides, I really liked being Louise. Ponies like Louise. Louise has _friends,_ Applejack, friends who care about her, who… who love her." She sighed. "I don't want to give that up yet."

Applejack came back down to meet her, scowling. Then she felt just a little silly, since she was only at eye level with her when two steps higher. She tried her hardest not to let on.

"Luna could have all of that, just as easily." AJ poked her chest for emphasis. " _You_ don't have to give up a dang thing. But that's just it, they're your friends, girl. Ya love 'em, don'tcha?"

Luna had to nod.

"Then you owe 'em the truth, purely outta respect. If nothin' else, Pinkie Pie especially deserves to hear the truth. She was the first and best friend you made today."

"You're right, you're right." Luna's head sank. "First thing in the morning, we'll head into town, and tell them all the truth. Starting with my best friend."

"Mornin' to ya, fillies. Wings look nice, Louise." Granny Smith jauntily hit the landing and kept on past them.

Luna gawked, wide-eyed after her. She shared a silent, but no less panicked exchange with Applejack before whispering the incantations as fast as she could manage.

"Say wait just a tic." Granny Smith froze in place, hoof still holding the lever to an already open front door. "Louise didn't have no wings. Somethin' funny's a-goin' on round here." She spun about and her jaw hung loose.

"Heh, uh, what's funny, Granny?"

"Yes, yes, we'd love a good joke this fine morning, Mrs. Smith."

Louise and Applejack both had one hoof over the other's shoulder, teeth flashing in totally-not-nervous smiles, just as chummy as they could be.

"Huh," gaped Granny, blinking her wrinkle ridden eyes several times, "must've been a trick o' the eyes. 'S awful dark an' all." The stress melted away from the three of them and Granny beckoned with glee. "Always nice to see fillies up nice and early, bright eyed, bushy tailed, and ready to get to work."

"Should I tell her how old I am," Louise asked. "I'm definitely an adult."

"Pish posh, you're both just a couple li'l fillies from the perspective o' these ol' bones right 'chere."

"You'd be surprised," Applejack mumbled under her grandmother's cackling.

"Huh, whazzat, dear?"

"I said now hold on, Granny." AJ led them out onto the porch, scanning the Eastern horizon like she'd done so many times before. "Look here. Nary a light on the horizon." She chuckled. "All three of us are up way too early." She started back in through the door. "C'mon, y'all, let's get an extra hour at least."

"Now you jus' wait one gosh darned minute, miss bossy hat."

The party halted, Louise and Applejack searching each other for an understanding of that peculiar insult.

"I done been gettin' up at the crack o' dawn since afore you was born, Applejack." Granny Smith stamped one hoof. "Ain't no way in Equestria it is not, in fact, six o' the clock riiiiiiiiight abouuuuuuut… now!"

One second later, deeper within the Apple family home, a chime droned. Then another. The chimes rang on until six in total had tolled. As the grandfather clock stopped, a summer night's breeze whipped around the trio; Louise and AJ's chins came loose. Granny Smith eased back onto her haunches, crossing her forelegs with awfully smug satisfaction.

But then she thought about it.

Turning about, it was clear the clouds were sparse at best. As if answering this thought, one even moved aside, blocking a quarter of the moon no longer. That's when it hit them; the moon hung in the sky exactly where it had at the end of dinner last night. It had not budged even one perspective inch.

Applejack glared at Louise.

"You'd better know what's going on… Hey!"

Louise's red eyes were aglow with moonlight. She remained despondent as AJ nudged her several times. Her jaw clenched, and her nostrils flared, taking in a long drawn breath.

"Applejack?" Louise's head stayed craned while her red, red eyes flashed over to her orange friend. "I need a map. Tell me you have a map."

A salt and pepper shaker went tumbling to one side as Applejack unfurled their only regional map in the entire Apple estate across the dining room table. Her superstitious lime-colored grandmother hurriedly pinched some of the loose salt between chipped old hooves and flung it over the left side of her shawled shoulder.

"Granny, look out."

"It's bad luck!" Granny Smith scooped up both shakers and spitefully slammed them onto a nearby counter before her granddaughter and her odd friend could cause anymore trouble. Little did she know.

Heavy steps clambered down the stairs to finally join them. Young Applebloom limply lied across Mac's haunches, dozing even as he tromped along into the kitchen. Some vague attempt was made to lift her head and brush frayed bangs out of her sleepy eyes. What they beheld was their new guest shining magic light over a map of the countryside, and rather frantically.

"Mm, wha's uh, what's goin' on? Where's breakfast? We heard the chimes earlier but it's still so dark outside."

"Ugh, where is it?" Louise ignored her. "It's been so long since I've been there, I…"

"C'mon, ease up now, girl." AJ pat her shoulder. "What're you looking for, anyhow?"

Further inquiry was interrupted by Granny, whisking Mac and Applebloom along to insist they help her start breakfast, and leave those two alone. What Applebloom heard even as they moved along into the kitchen made her all the more curious. But she was far too sleepy to fight back.

"A castle," Louise told her as the others left them. "A very old castle."

"You mean the one where you-" Applejack silenced herself, lest the others hear her one room over. Luna followed her gaze and simply nodded.

"That would be the one, yes." She returned her tiny orb of magic light to a massive swathe of land on the paper. "If I'm correct, it should be somewhere in this region. But there's no way I can pinpoint it in all of this land." She rubbed her temples, her frustration flaring up her disguised hair a bit.

"Oh!" Applejack poked her ribs, bringing those locks back down. "Sorry 'bout that. But what if we had some older maps? Would that help?"

"It would be marked on older maps, yes." Louise rubbed at her chin. "Why, do you know where we can get some old maps?"

"Town hall might have some in their records, in Ponyville."

"Then we've no time to lose." Louise stood with conviction, taller and with her head held higher than Applejack had seen her since meeting. "After all this time, I'm going to finally make this right."

In a rush, the duo dawned their cloak and hat, respectively, and threw together a couple packs of basic supplies. Rope, pitons, a pair of bedrolls, and a few rolled off paper sacks they'd quickly filled with peanuts, raisins, apples, and some hard old biscuits left over from two breakfasts ago.

Granny Smith pleaded with them to stay put, citing a nearly done fresh breakfast awaiting them, if they could just stay here for the next ten minutes. But Applejack wasn't having it, and Louise insisted. They had to at least investigate.

"At least take somethin' to hol' ya over!" Granny Smith scooped up some slices of bread sizzling in a skillet, butter-side down. She flung them with haste, which Louise netted using magic from her horn, and divided between herself and Applejack.

"Hey," protested Applebloom, waving a metal flipper at them, "I worked hard on that toast."

"My thanks, little chef," Louise cooed, setting to crunching the crispiest crust first.

"Don't worry, li'l sis," Applejack reassured, "we'll be back by noon, and we can all have a great big lunch together. Love ya, okay?" She kissed her unimpressed forehead.

Fond farewells were bid all around, and out Applejack went in a trot, dragging along Louise who scarfed the second half of her first piece of toast, stowing the other piece. They got some distance from the house before Louise managed to choke down the most burnt toast of the lot. With her throat clear, she grabbed Applejack's attention, slowing from a gallop to a jog, to a trot.

"Wait," she called out, "wait."

"Wait for what? We're kinda in a hurry here." Applejack hopped from side to side, antsy to dash into town quick as possible.

"Exactly."

Louise's cape jumped, billowing out behind her as the loose hood fluttered from shoulder to shoulder. All the dust that kicked up outlined Luna's invisible wings, spanning out wide and proud. Applejack lowered her braced shin and grinned like a giddy little filly who just arrived at the big city fair, ready to sail through the air in the most intense roller coaster around.


End file.
